Music To Game By: Epic Fantasy I

Black Blade by Two Steps From Hell (Invincible)
One of many excellent tracks from the Invincible album which I highly recommend (buy it here). The work of this production company covers a wide range of musical tastes suitable for epic fantasy, but is particularly useful for action scenes.

A Celtic Journey by Peter Crowley Fantasy Dream
This selection comes from the album Legend of The Dragon (purchase it and other works here). Anything put out by this company is highly recommended. Most fantasy fans are at least partially familiar with Celtic or Celtic-like music, and so this album is excellent for setting a mood for a fantasy game or story.

Music from Ancient Rome by Synaulia
Synaulia is a team of musicians, archeologists, paleorganologists and choreographers dedicated to the application of their historical research to ancient music and dance, in particular to the ancient Etruscan and Roman periods. This is excellent for older cultures (such as Elves or Giants) in a fantasy setting.

Sir Giles [Blood and Treasure]

STR 16 (+2)
DEX 14 (+1)
CON 17 (+2)
INT 15 (+1)
WIS 17 (+2)
CHA 18 (+3)
Alignment: Neutral Good
Race: Human
Class: 10th Lvl Aristocrat (Bard variant), 10th Lvl Fighter
Languages: Common, Draconic, Elven, Ogre
Hit Points: 115
Base Attack Bonus: +13 (+15 melee, +14 ranged)
Saving Throws: FORT 8, REF 8, WILL 8
Skills: Bend bars, break down doors, decipher scripts, listen at door, pick pockets, riding and trickery
Feats: Bull Rush, Cleave, Disarm, Power Attack, Sunder, Weapon Focus (Broadsword)
Items of Note: Full Mithril Plate Armor, Gauntlets of Ogre Power, Monocle of True Seeing, +3 Dragonbane Broadsword, +1 Lance.

"Come, come, come, come, lad. Stop mumbling." -Sir Giles, The Reluctant Dragon
Sir Giles is a professional dragon killer and rescuer of fair damsels. His long career has taken him far and wide, bringing him into conflict with a large number of dragons and other monsters. Though into his sixth decade, Sir Giles is still a vital and powerful warrior, widely feared and respected by knight, brigands and monster for his ferocity and skill in arms.
Sir Giles is tall and slender, with a long white mustache. When out of his armor, Sir Giles dresses like a gentleman-artist, usually wearing a black cap with a red feather on it a black uniform, black shoes and a monocle. When in his armor Sir Giles is straight-backed and impressive.
Sir Giles has made a business for himself as a professional monster-fighter, travelling across the land in search of monsters to slay (particularly dragons), and damsels to rescue. Though this is serious busininess, he and his entourage (see below) make sure that these events are properly managed and that all of the forms of combat are observed.

Combat
Though he might seem a silly sort of fellow, Sir Giles is ferocious in combat. He is quick with a sword, and more than willing to kill a foe on points of honor. Thankfully Sir Giles is a decent old fellow, and is usually willing to accept honest apologies. In battle Sir Giles is a whirlwind, attacking quickly and with great energy. He will usually look to disarm foes or otherwise slay them with quick strikes, only going on the defensive when hard-pressed.
Aristocratic Education: Sir Giles may make a special Legend Lore check (a Will saving throw modified by intelligence) to see whether he knows some relevant information about local notables, legendary items or noteworthy places. A successful legend lore check does not reveal the powers of a magic item but may give a hint as to its general function.
Sir Giles gains a +1 bonus on all reaction checks.
Voice of Command: Once per day per Aristocrat level, Sir Giles can use his skills as an orator and poet to produce magical effects on those around him (usually including himself, if desired). These effects can all be activated with his commanding voice. See the Bard on page 9 of the Blood & Treasure PHB for details.
Skill in Arms: Sir Giles can attack three times per round.
Entourage: Sir Giles comes with a number of attendants, minor noblemen, bards, heralds, men-at arms, and warriors-in-training. These, along with other specialists act as a sort of mobile tournament, making sure that the exploits of Sir Giles are known far and wide, and that battles are handled with proper decorum and style. This entourage sells tickets, food, souvenirs and otherwise encourage spectators for when Sir Giles has a battle. Some of them even take odds on the outcome of really exciting battles.

Some of Sir Giles Entourage hard at work.

Sir Giles is a fictional character who appears in the classic Disney animated film The Reluctant Dragon (1941). This film was based upon a childrens story written in 1898 by Kenneth Grahame. I saw this cartoon as a kid and greatly enjoyed the characters. This conversion uses the Blood and Treasure game rules, and is meant as a tribute and not a copyright infringement of any kind. 

Arae: Trolls of Trollbottom Swamp

Trolls (Player Characters)

Trolls are a ferocious race of giant-kin with warty green, grey or brown skin, long noses and thick ropy hair. Though giants, trolls also share a kinship with the fae, and can often be found in places where the darker sorts of faerie creatures congregate. Few races like trolls, as their wilder brethren do eat intelligent beings, but those trolls who have come to terms with civilization are valued as warriors, laborers and leg-breakers. Most trolls are aligned with Chaos, but the more civilized are aligned with Neutrality.
The average troll stands nine feet tall and weighs roughly 500 pounds, though females tend to be a bit larger than males. The hide of trolls is rubbery, and grants them a +2 bonus to Armor Class. They are large creatures, so their armor costs double the normal price. They can see in the dark up to 60 feet. This “darkvision” is in black and white only, but it is otherwise like normal sight.
Trolls modify their starting ability scores as follows: Str +6 (max. 20), Dex +2, Con +6 (max. 20), Int -2, Wis -1, Cha -2. Trolls are immensely strong, wiry and possess superhuman endurance. However they are not very intelligent, are reckless and hideous by human standards.
Trolls  regenerate 1d4 points of damage automatically each round on their turn. In addition, it can replace body parts that have been severed by holding them up to its stump for 1 round. Body parts can also be re-grown over the course of 24 hours. Wounds dealt by acid or fire cannot be regenerated in this way.
Trolls speak Common and Troll. They might also speak Dwarf, Goblin, Kobold, Orc, Ogre, Hill Giant and Infernal.
Trolls can only be Beastmasters* (Druid variant), Curmudgeons, Defenders (fighter variant), Druids*, Fighters, Scouts (thief variant), She-Devils (female trolls), or Thieves and can only advance to 5th level.
*Spellcasting trolls are widespread in folklore, but it is the magic of the elements, shapeshifting and the deep wilderness. All powers handled well by the Beastmaster and Druid class.


Trollbottom Swamp 

Trollbottom Swamp is a huge blackwater swamp to be found south of the Yandor River. It is a stinking fen choked with muddy water, bald cypress, and tulepo swamp forests. The swamp has a large number of carnivorous plants, insects and reptiles. It also has trolls.
The trolls of Trollbottom Swamp originally fled here over two centuries ago to escape slavery at the hands of the Fire Giants of the Western Mountains. Since that day, these trolls have adapted well to life in the swamp. The swamp has many dangers that can make quick work of an unwary troll, and so the trolls have learned the use of teamwork, fire and trade.
Though they still do occasionally eat people, the Trolls of Trollbottom are far more willing to trade and bargain than their mountain kinfolk. A taste for strong drink, especially whiskey made by the Orc brewers of Sprogton (see regional details) has gone a long way towards "civilizing" these trolls.


These rules are made for use with the Blood and Treasure RPG. This game mirrors classic versions of Dungeons and Dragons. 

Arae: Infernal Powers (Mother Carey)

Mother Carey

Alias: Mater Cara, Mother of Storms
Feast: September 21 or July 31 (Storm Season)
Symbols: Storm Petrel (Mother Carey's Chickens),  Giant petrels (Mother Carey's Geese), Shark Tooth Necklace
Patronage: Storms, shipwreck, curses, hags, harpies
Cleric Alignments: Any Evil
Power: Clerics allied with Mother Carey add swimming as a class skill, and add sleet storm to their list of third level spells and ice storm to their list of fourth level spells. Clerics of Mother Carey have no special power over undead.
Favored Weapons: Club (Driftwood)

"She's a hungry old rip 'n' a cruel, For sailor-men like we, She's give a many mariners the gruel, 'N' a long sleep under sea; She's the blood o' many a crew upon her, 'N' the bones of many a wreck, 'N' she's barnacles a-growin' on her 'N' shark's teeth round her neck." -John Masefield, Mother Carey (As told Me by the Bo'sun)
Mother Carey is the infernal matron of storms and the cruel and threatening sea. She delights in shipwrecks, drowned children and the torment of all those who live along waterways or upon the sea. Among the goodly folk of Arae, Mater Carey is feared, though a number seek to appease and avoid her. But in the company of monstrous races such as Merrow, Harpies and such, Mater Carey is seen as a goodly goddess who brings sailors and other folk to their tables.
Mater Carey appears most often as a giantess (trow, ogress, or storm-giantess) of middle years, dressed in a gown made from ship sails. She is proud and stern and quick to anger. She collects the souls of the drowned into her infernal realm, turning them into fiendish seabirds and fish, sending them out into the world to act as her spies and heralds. Mother Carey has an odd (for an infernal being) liking for children of all species, and will go out of her way to protect their drowned spirits from the more predatory and cruel beings that surround her. Clerics of Mother Carey will also share this "soft spot" for children, often acting as ferocious godmothers for shipwreck orphans, especially those whose parents were killed by Mother Carey's storms. Such children often become clerics of the Mother of Storms, but this is not always the case.
Clerics 
Clerics of Mother Carey dwell near the sea, living in caves where the wind is the most fierce. Most are sea-combers and salvages, taking treasures from shipwrecks and preaching to pirates and smugglers. Merchants and sailors fearing bad weather will often seek out clerics of Mother Carey to help in appeasing the Mother of Storms. Darker still are those who seek Her in an effort to destroy rivals and enemies though shipweck and storm.

Please Note: These are meant for use by Game-masters for Non-Player Character Clerics. The Infernal Powers are nasty in the extreme and are the BAD GUYS, with no exception.